Criterion's September Slate Features David Fincher's 'The Game'

Because David Fincher's 'The Game' was made for the long-defunct Polygram Filmed Entertainment, its home video rights have been rocky. The studio released it on DVD at the format's inception, while Universal released the film on HD-DVD, but has yet to release a Blu-ray. Criterion - who put the film out on Laserdisc - has now set the film for a DVD and Blu-ray release. That and more are coming from the boutique company in September.

So let's get 'The Game' (Due 9/25) out of the way:

It features:

New, restored digital transfer, supervised by director David Fincher and director of photography Harris Savides, with original theatrical 5.1 surround theatrical soundtrack, in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition

An hour’s worth of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and film-to-storyboard comparisons for four of the film’s major set pieces, with commentary

Alternate ending

Trailer and teaser trailer, with commentary

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt

Note, the majority of these supplements come directly from the original Laserdisc version, it seems the newest feature is the transfer. Still, exciting.

They also announced the restored version of Marcel Carne's 'Children of the Paradise,' (9/18) which is currently touring theaters:

It features:

New high-definition digital transfer from Pathé’s 2011 restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition

Audio commentaries by film scholars Brian Stonehill and Charles Affron

Video introduction by director Terry Gilliam

Once Upon a Time: “Children of Paradise,”/ a 2010 documentary on the making of the film

New visual essay on the design of Children of Paradise by film writer Paul Ryan

The Birth of “Children of Paradise,” a 1967 German documentary that visits Nice, where the film was partially shot, and features interviews with cast members Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur; production designer Alexandre Trauner; and others

Restoration demonstration

U.S. trailer

New English subtitle translation

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dudley Andrew and excerpts from a 1990 interview with director Marcel Carné

Much of this comes from the film's original two-disc set.

And 'Umberto D' is getting a Blu-ray upgrade (9/4):

It comes with:

New high-definition digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition

That’s Life: Vittorio De Sica, a fifty-five-minute documentary made for Italian television in 2001

Video interview with actress Maria Pia Casilio from 2003

Trailer

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans and reprinted recollections by De Sica and Carlo Battisti, who plays Umberto D.

This is also a straight port of the DVD

New to the collection is the obscure Marcel Carne film 'Les visiteurs du soir' (9/18):

It comes with:

New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition

L’aventure des “Visiteurs du soir,” a documentary on the making of the film